Immunizations Protect Children from Disease

We've long known that children who are not vaccinated run a higher risk of getting sick. Now, new research suggests children whose parents refuse vaccines are up to 23 times more likely to get sick than those who are immunized.

I'm Dr. William Walker,
Director of Contra Costa Health Services
and the County Health Officer,
here to talk about the importance
of protecting your child's health with immunizations.

The new research, conducted by
Kaiser Permanente Colorado's Institute for Health Research,
is a clear indicator on the risk
of not vaccinating children.
The study comes at an important time
because the number of parents who don't
vaccinate their children appears to be growing.

Concerns about possible health problems,
such as autism, make some parents hesitant
to vaccinate their children.
Medical research has consistently shown us
that vaccines and their components
do not cause autism.

Natural immunity is an alternative
some parents prefer.
In a few cases, natural immunity
can be more protective and longer lasting
than getting vaccinated.
However, this is only true
if your child survives the disease
without any serious complications.
With a vaccine, your child won't
have to suffer the first time
or put any friends and family members at risk.

Today, there are a lot of vaccines available
to protect our children.
Sometimes it can be heartbreaking
to see your child in pain,
but it is these vaccines that have eliminated
some preventable diseases
and put most others at bay.

Vaccines protect our children
from those diseases that still circulate
in the United States, like chicken pox,
whooping cough and the measles.
Also, international travel makes diseases
in other parts of the world a real possibility here at home.
If we are all immunized, these diseases
will continue to become more and more rare.

To see a recommended schedule
of childhood immunizations
and to find out where to get your child immunized
in Contra Costa County,
visit our website at cchealth.org